Women are emerging as the biggest beneficiaries of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s financial inclusion programme – Jan Dhan bank accounts. According to the latest government data, out of total 34 crore Jan Dhan accounts in the country, 53% or more than 18 crore Jan Dhan accounts are opened by women.
What is more important that nearly 60% of Jan Dhan accounts have been opened in rural and semi-urban areas which was the focus of the scheme.
According to the latest data given by ministry of finance, the total deposits in PMJDY accounts have crossed the figure of Rs 88,500 crore, with an average deposit of Rs 2,603 per Jan Dhan accounts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched this ambitious financial inclusion programme in August 2014 with the aim to open a bank account for every households in the country, however, last year the government has revised the target from one bank account every household to every un-banked adult in the country.
The government has recently made certain changes to make these accounts even more attractive. It includes increasing overdraft facility from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 per account. It has also increased in the inbuilt insurance cover for more than 27 crore RuPay debit cards issued to PMJDY account holders from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.
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In August last year, the government not only increased the amount of OD facility under Jan Dhan accounts, but it also revised the age limit for availing the the OD facility from 18 to 60 years to 18 to 65 years. PMJDY account holders can avail OD facility up to Rs 2,000 without any conditions attached to it.